Media Release
Global wild tiger population increases, but
still a long way to go
NEW DELHI, India -- The number of wild tigers has been revised to 3,890, based on the best
available data, said WWF and the Global Tiger Forum (GTF) ahead of a major tiger conservation
meeting tomorrow in New Delhi to be opened by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This updated minimum figure, compiled from IUCN data and the latest national tiger surveys,
indicates an increase on the 2010 estimate of ‘as few as 3,200’, and can be attributed to multiple
factors including increases in tiger populations in India, Russia, Nepal and Bhutan, improved
surveys and enhanced protection.
“For the first time after decades of constant decline, tiger numbers are on the rise. This offers us
great hope and shows that we can save species and their habitats when governments, local
communities and conservationists work together,” said Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF
International.
The meeting of tiger range governments at the 3rd Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger
Conservation this week is the latest step in the Global Tiger Initiative process that began with the
2010 Tiger Summit in Russia. Governments at that meeting agreed to the Tx2 goal to double wild
tiger numbers by 2022.
“This is a critical meeting taking place at the halfway point in the Tx2 goal,” said Dr Rajesh Gopal,
Secretary General, Global Tiger Forum. “Tiger governments will decide the next steps towards
achieving this goal and ensuring wild tigers have a place in Asia’s future.”
Over the three day meeting, countries will report on their progress toward the Tx2 goal and commit
to next steps. Prime Minister Modi will address the conference on the essential role tigers play as a
symbol of a country’s ecological well-being.
“A strong action plan for the next six years is vital,” said Michael Baltzer, Leader of WWF Tx2 Tiger
Initiative. “The global decline has been halted but there is still no safe place for tigers. Southeast
Asia, in particular, is at imminent risk of losing its tigers if these governments do not take action
immediately.”
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Tigers are classified as endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, threatened by
poaching and habitat loss. Statistics from TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, show that
a minimum of 1,590 tigers were seized by law enforcement officials between January 2000 and
April 2014, feeding a multi-billion dollar illegal wildlife trade.
In order for countries to protect their tigers, it is essential that they know their tiger populations and
the threats they face.
In 2014, tiger range governments agreed to announce a new global tiger estimate by 2016, based
on full, systematic national surveys. However, not all countries have completed or published these
surveys. The new minimum estimate of close to 3,900 tigers is based on the IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species account for tigers, updated for countries where national tiger surveys have
taken place since the IUCN assessment.
WWF and the GTF commend the tiger range countries that have updated their population figures
since 2010 and encourage the remaining countries to complete and publish their population surveys
as soon as possible.
--ends-Notes to editors:
For full details please refer to the accompanying background document Global Wild Tiger Status April 2016
Tx2: 100 years ago there were 100,000 wild tigers. By 2010, there were as few as 3,200. In 2010, tiger range
governments agreed to act to double wild tigers by the next Chinese Year of the Tiger in 2022. This goal is known as Tx2.
Country
Total April 2016
Source
Bangladesh
106
National Survey 2015
Bhutan
Cambodia
China
103
0
>7
National Survey 2015
IUCN 2015
IUCN 2015
India
2226
National survey 2014
Indonesia
371
IUCN 2015 (lower range)
Lao PDR
2
IUCN 2015
Malaysia
Myanmar
Nepal
Russia
250
No current data available*
198
433
IUCN 2015 (lower range)
IUCN 2015
National Survey 2013
National survey 2015
Thailand
189
IUCN 2015 (lower range)
Vietnam
<5
IUCN 2015
Global Total
3890
*The Myanmar Government figure is 85 tigers from a 2010 estimate. However as there is no recent survey data available,
this figure has not been included.
Country survey status:
•
Malaysia: The first nationwide tiger survey is underway. WWF and the GTF commend the government for taking
this step and urge the authorities to expedite the survey.
•
Myanmar: There are ongoing talks with the government about development of a new tiger action plan which will
include recommendations for surveys and protection measures in selected priority sites.
•
Thailand: Site specific data of tiger populations is available. Discussions are ongoing with the Thailand
government about using this data to provide a current population estimate.
•
China: Evidence of tigers is only found in Northeast China in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces. A field survey of
Heilongjaing Province is underway with results expected later in 2016. Preliminary results indicate a promising
increase in numbers.
•
Indonesia: An island-wide occupancy survey was published in 2011. Extensive survey work across Sumatra is
ongoing. Discussions are underway to evaluate how best to estimate the present population. This may comprise
compilation of ongoing research as well as new survey work.
For more information, please contact:
Alison Harley
Sr. Communications Manager
WWF Tx2 Tiger Initiative
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +60 122807402 (GMT +8)
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